Prudence was shocked, a little hurt, at the outburst that followed her
words.

"Well, such a family!" Aunt Grace exclaimed. And then Carol pulled her
bodily down beside her on the bed and for a time they were all incapable
of explanations.

"What is the joke?" Prudence asked, again and again, smiling,--but
still feeling a little pique. She had counted on gladdening their sorry
little hearts!

"Stockings, stockings--Oh, such a family!" shrieked Carol.

"There's no playing jokes on the twins," said Aunt Grace weakly. "It
takes the whole family to square up. It's too expensive."

Then Lark explained, and Prudence sat down and joined the merriment,
which waxed so noisy that Mr. Starr from the library and Fairy from the
kitchen, ran in to investigate.

"April Fool, April Fool," cried Carol, "We never played a trick like
this, Larkie--this is our masterpiece."

"You're the nicest old things that ever lived," said Lark, still
laughing, but with great warmth and tenderness in her eyes and her
voice. "But you can take the stockings back and save your money if you
like--we love you just as much."

But this the happy donors stoutly refused to do. The twins had earned
this wealth of hose, and finally, wiping their eyes, the twins began to
smooth their hair and adjust their ribbons and belts.

"What's the matter?" "Where are you going?" "Will you buy the rest of us
some silk stockings?" queried the family, comic-opera effect.

"Where are we going?" Carol repeated, surprised, seeming to feel that
any one should know where they were going, though they had not spoken.

"We're going to call on our friends, of course," explained Lark.

"Of course," said Carol, jabbing her hair pins in with startling energy.
"And we've got to hurry. We must go to Mattie's, and Jean's, and
Betty's, and Fan's, and Birdie's, and Alice's, and--say, Lark, maybe
we'd better divide up and each take half. It's kind of late,--and we
mustn't miss any."

"Well, what on earth!" gasped Prudence, while the others stared in
speechless amazement.

"For goodness' sake, Carol, hurry. We have to get clear out to Minnie's
to-night, if we miss our supper."

"But what's the idea? What for? What are you talking about?"

"Why, you silly thing," said Carol patiently, "we have to go and tell
our friends that we've got four pairs of silk stockings, of course. I
wouldn't miss this afternoon for the world. And we'll go the rounds
together, Lark. I want to see h